PRESS RELEASE

The spot highlights police families who live in constant concern for their loved one’s safety

The Patrolmen's Benevolent Association of the City of New York (NYC PBA) will air its second radio commercial (see text below) against parole for cop killers starting Monday (May 7th) with over 300 spots running for a week on 15 major radio stations, it was announced today by PBA President Pat Lynch.

The spot, entitled “Families,” focuses on the constant fear police families have of “the knock on the door” informing them that their loved one has been killed or injured in the line of duty. The families of Police Officers Waverly Jones and Joseph Piagentini got such a knock on the door in 1971 when Herman Bell, Anthony Bottom and Albert Washington, three domestic terrorists, set up an ambush and brutally and sadistically assassinated the two police officers.

PBA president Patrick J. Lynch said:

“We are appalled by the misguided and illegal decision of a radical parole board to release the three-time convicted cop-killer Herman Bell. This outrageous decision has resulted in a public outcry from all corners of our city to keep cop-killers in jail. The Governor and a host of elected officials have expressed their opposition to Bell’s release, and yet none of those responsible for the broken, unaccountable parole system lifted a finger to stop it. Nearly 400,000 letters from the public opposing the release of all cop-killers were sent to the parole board in one week. Bell’s murdering partner, Anthony Bottom, will be coming up for parole next month and we are asking once again for the public’s support in opposing his release.”

Here is the text of the radio commercial:

“This is PBA President Pat Lynch. Allow me to tell you what life is like for our cop families. Every day, our husbands and wives, mothers and fathers, daughters and sons are hoping and praying. They’re hoping there’s no knock at the door, praying they never hear those terrible words — ‘You need to get to the hospital. We have a car waiting.’ In May 1971, the families of Police Officers Waverly Jones and Joseph Piagentini heard those words.

They heard that Waverly and Joe were never coming home, because a gang of terrorists assassinated them in cold blood. Nothing would bring our heroes back, but at least these families knew the killers were behind bars for life. Until now.

The New York State Parole Board has already released cop-killer Herman Bell. His accomplice, Anthony Bottom, is up for parole next month. Help us fight for these families who have sacrificed so much for us. Visit nycpba.org and click on “Keep Cop Killers in Jail.” Tell the parole board that cop killers should never walk our neighborhood streets again. That’s nycpba.org. Thank you.”